The campaign to fire David Letterman

Republicans are sinking to a new low, said George Schlatter in The Huffington Post. "The party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt used to fight for big ideas and causes"—now a handful of conservatives seem content to use their political muscle to try to get David Letterman fired for a "silly joke" or two about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The anti-Letterman outrage is ridiculous, especially since conservatives like comedian Dennis Miller and Fox News host Sean Hannity say plenty of offensive things about President Obama.

If David Letterman had any sense, said Michael S. Rulle Jr. in Big Hollywood, he wouldn't stick around long enough to be fired. He "should just walk off the set." The host of CBS' "Late Show" is not funny anymore. Judging by his unnecessary attack on Sarah Palin and her teenage daughters, the realization that his time has passed makes Letterman "very angry."

David Letterman's "slutty flight attendant" remark about Sarah Palin was "in poor taste," said Kathleen Parker in The Washington Post, and his sexually suggestive remark about Palin's under-age daughter was far worse. He should apologize, but trying to get him fired only creates an even bigger problem. "Calls for censorship or worse are far more dangerous to the land of the free than any inappropriate one-liner."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up